Electric block-signal system.



W. J. BELL.

ELECTRIC BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 2, 1908.

1,008,521. I W Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

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W. J. BELL. ELECTRIC BLOCK SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED D30. 2, 1908.

Patented NOV. 14, 1911 2 SHEBTiE-SHEET 2.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGIIIAPH MUUWASHINGTGN. D. C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

WALTER J. BELL, 013 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO LOS ANGELES SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF LOS ANGEIJES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- FORNIA.

ELECTRIC BLOCK- SIGNAL SYSTEM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER J. BELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Electric Block-Signal System, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to block signal systems and the object of the invention is to provide a very simple and effective system which may be economically installed and maintained.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings :-Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the system as used on a double track. 'Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the system as used on a single track. Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the signal supports, wires, and their relation to a car. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing another method of supporting the main line. Fig. 5 is a sectional view through a signal lantern. Fig. 6 is a diagram of a shunting means for a signal lamp. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the application of the invention on a wide span. Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the traveling contact device carried by the ear. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic plan, showing the application of the invention to signaling the condition of a track switch.

Referring to Fig. 1, showing the applica-v corresponding to the block sections a a a etc., said sections 1 extending longitudinally of the track and insulated from one another as by means of the usual section insulators. Each section 1 has an extension 2, which extends rearwardly from the said section and alongside the preceding adjoining section. Thus the extension 2 from section 1 in block a extends rearwardly from said section 1 in block a and alongside of sectionl in a block a Each of said section extensions 2 is grounded at its far end at g and between the ground and the main section 1 are provided one or more signal lamps indicated at 3. A plurality of signal lamps are preferably located at different points in the ex- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 2, 1908.

ing trolley Wire for the car. lamps 3 may also be supported by the same Patented Nov. 1 1, 1911. Serial No. 465,728.

breaking the circuit by failure of one or more lamps, a safety shunt may be provided for each lamp as indicated at 5 in Fig. 6. Said safety shunt may include a standard semaphore signal, indicated at 5'.

The invention is particularly intended for use in connection with electrically propelled cars which take current from a trolley wire,

but it is applicable in any case where the car is provided with means for supplying electrical energy to the main signal line. In the form shown in Figs. 3, 4:, etc., this provision consists of a trolley 6 adapted to take current from the trolley wire 7 supported by the usual means 8. The trolley wire 7 is the usual continuous trolley wire. In addition to such current receiving trolley, the car is provided with a current delivering trolley or contact consisting of an arm 9 supported on a standard 10 on top of the car, said arm 9 adapted to make traveling contact with the main signal line 1 which is supported by suitable means such as a bracket 11 which may extend from the same pole 12 which serves 'to hold the support 8 for the operat- The signal poles 12 as shown in Fig. 4, and at the left of Fig. 3, or by supplementary poles, as shown at 13 in Fig. 3, may be provided for this purpose. The trolley on the car is connected by the usual wiring, indicated in a general way at 14:, through the electromotive devices 15 to the rail, constituting a ground connection indicated at g, and is also connectedby a wire 16 through signal lamps 17 to the contact means 9 aforesaid.

The operation of the system, as applied to a double-track railway, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is as follows :-a car indicated at 520, being assumed to be on block a, the direction of motion of the car being indicated by its pointed forward end. The current passing into the car through the trolley 6, divides, part going through the usual electromotive device of the car to ground and another part going through the wire 16, signal lamps 17, contact 9, main signal line 1 and extension wire 2, with its included signal lamps 3, to ground. The car thus lights the signal lights or lamps in the extension sect-ion at the rear of the main signal line section 1 on which the car is located. Another car, indicated at 21, coming onto block section a will be notified, by the illumination of these lamps, of the presence of a car on the next section ahead. The construction and operation are identical on the two tracks of the double-track railway, except that the direction of the extension is reversed to correspond with the reverse direction of motion of the cars.

In connection with a single-track railway (see Fig. 2), the invention provides for giving diiferent signals on any section according to whether the car in front is going in the same or opposite direction. The main signal line is in this case divided into sections 1 for blocks (4 (F, as above described, but there are two extensions 2, 4 from the two ends of each main line section 1, the extension from each end extending alongside of the next main line section, and each extension including signal lamps 3. In this case the signal lamps 3 are so constructed as to exhibit a different color of illumination,

according to the direction from which they are viewed. Thus, as shown in Fig. 5, the lamp consists of an electric lamp inclosed in a lantern 23 having two glasses or lenses 24, 25, one of which may be red and the other green. All of the extensions 2 from a corresponding end, say the right hand end, of the respective main signal line sections 1 extend at one side of the track, and all of the extensions 4, from the other end, the left hand ends, extend at the other side of the track. The signal lanterns in the rearward extensions 2 are all placed with their red glasses in a given direction, for example, toward the right, and the signal lamps 3 on the other side of the track in the extensions 4 are all placed with their red glasses in the opposite direction, namely, toward the left.

In operation, the current from the trolley is fed by the circuits and contact means on the car, as above described, to the main signal line 1, all of the cars operating on the same signal line irrespective of their direction of motion. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2, if two cars 20, 20are approaching one another and coming onto adjacent sections, car 20 will energize the left hand section 2 in block a causing the lamps 3 therein to show a red signal as viewed from car 20'. At the same time said car 20 will cause the right hand extension section 4 to be energized causing the signal lamps therein to show a red signal as viewed from car 20. The current from car 20, however, finds ground not only through the left hand section thereof but also through the right hand section at the rear of said car 20, illuminating the lamps in the block a at the side thereof which lies at the right of a car,

indicated at 20 advancing in the same direction as car 20'. The signal lamps on this side in advance of car 20 appear green, as the green glass is presented toward the right on this side. Similarly the car 20 illuminates the signal lamps in the extension alongside the section at the rear thereof, at the right side of block a as viewed from a car on that block proceeding in the same direction as car 20, the lamps 3 on that side presenting a red light when so viewed.

Any suit-able construction of traveling contact means may be used for the contact arm 9. The construction shown in Fig. 8 is suitable for the purpose, the same comprising a drum 27 pivoted to a member on the standard 10 aforesaid and provided with a spring 28 connected to a pivot shaft 29 and to the drum, said spring tending to raise the arm 9. Said contact is also preferably mounted to rotate on a vertical axis enabling the arm to be swung out of the way of obstructions. For this purpose the drum 27 is mounted in a stirrup 30, having a shank 31 adapted to turn in a bearing in a case 32, a spring 33 being provided connected to said case and said shank to normally hold the arm 9 extended transversely of the car to enable the arm to yield by turning of the shank in its bearing in the case.

Fig. 4 illustrates a construction wherein the signal line 1 is mounted adjacent to the trolley wire 7 and is supported by hangers 35 extending and insulated from the support for the trolley wire. In this case the side of the harp 36 of the trolley makes contact wit-h the main signal line section 1 as the car passes along and thereby supplies electrical energy to said section for operation of the signal as above described. In case the former contact, shown in Fig. 3, is employed, and the arrangement of the tracks does not permit of a post support being used for the signal line, the same may be suspended by any other suit-able means. For example, in a wide span system of suspension, such as shown in Fig. 7, where span wires 38 are provided for suspending the trolley Wires 7 one of said span wires may also be used to suspend one or more signal line sections 1 which are in this case hung from the span wire by suitable sus pension means 39.

The invention may also be applied to indicate the condition of a track switch, for example, as shown in Figs. 3 and 9, where the track switch or tongue 40 is connected by rod 41 and connections 42 to a switch 43 in a branch circuit 44 from the trolley or section wire to the signal wire section 2 in Fig. 1. hen the switch is left open intentionally or through carelessness, the switch 43 may be closed and the signal lamps in the block section next in the rear will be lighted indicating to the operator of the car on that section that there is an open switch in front.

It will be noted that the above described system supplies the electric energy from the trolley or supply wire of the electric railway directly to the signals without the intervention of magnets, etc., so that when the car has passed from a section, the section is left in normal condition without any adjunctive or normally useless connections.

It will be understood that in place of the electric lamps shown any suitable device may be employed, for example, standard semaphores.

What I claim is 1. A main wire divided into sections, a signal wire connected to each section and extending along the adjoining section, signals at various points on each signal wire, each signal wire being grounded, said signals being between the ground connection and the main wire section, a continuous supply line extending along the track, and a car pro vided with trolley means running on said continuous supply line for taking current therefrom and a supplementary trolley means connected to the aforesaid trolley means and traveling along the main wire for supplying electrical energy thereto.

2. A main wire divided into sections, a signal wire connected to the forward end of each main wire section and extending forwardly along the next section in advance, a signal wire connected to the rear end of each main wiretection and extending rearwardly along the next section in the rear, and each signal wire being grounded at the end which is farther from the main wire section, a sig nal on each signal wire between the ground connection and the main wire section, a continuous supply line extending along the track and a car provided with trolley means running on said continuous supply line for taking current therefrom and a supplementary trolley means connected to the aforesaid trolley means and running on said main wire for supplying electric current to the sections of the main wire.

3. A main wire divided into sections, a signal wire connected to the forward end of each main wire section and extending for wardly along the next section in advance, a signal wire connected to the rear end of each main wire section and extending rearwardly along the next section in the rear, the forward and rear signal wires extending on opposite sides of the track, and each signal wire being grounded at the end which is farther from the main wire section, signals at various points in each signal wire distributed along the track between the ground connection and the main wire section, a continuous supply line extending along the track and a car provided with trolley means running on said continuous supply line for taking current therefrom and a supplementary trolley means connected to the aforesaid trolley means and running on said main wire for supplying electric current to the sections of the main wire.

4. A main wire dividedinto sections, a signal wire connected to the forward end of each main wire section and extending forwardly along the next section in advance, a signal wire connected to the rear end of each main wire section and extending rearwardly along the next section in the rear, and each signal wire being grounded at the end which is farther from the main wire section, a signal on each signal wire between the ground connection and the main wire section, a continuous supply line extending along the track and a car provided with trolley means running on said continuous supply line for taking current therefrom and a supplementary trolley means connected to the afore said trolley means and running on said main wire for supplying electric current to the sections of the main wire, each of said signals comprising means presenting when energized different colors in different directions longitudinally of the track, the direc tion of presentation of the colors being opposite on different sides of the track.

5. A main wire divided into sections, a signal wire connected to each section and extending along the adjoining section, signal lamps at various points on each signal wire, each signal wire being grounded, said signals being between the ground connection and the main wire section, a continuous supply line extending along the track, a car provided with trolley means running on said continuous supply line for taking current therefrom and a supplementary trolley means connected to the aforesaid trolley means and traveling along the main wire for supplying electrical energy thereto, said signals consisting of electric lamps in series, and a normally closed safety shunt for each lamp.

6. A main wire divided into sections, a signal wire connected to each section and extending along the adjoining section, a continuous supply line extending along the track signal lamps at various points on each signal wire, each signal wire being grounded, said signals being between the ground connection and the main wire section, a car provided with trolley means running on said continuous supply line for taking current therefrom and a supplementary trolley means connected to the aforesaid trolley means and traveling along the main wire for supplying electrical energ T thereto, said signals consisting of electric lamps in series, and a normally closed safety shunt for each lamp, said shunt containing a semaphore.

7 An electric railway comprising a continuous supply Wire, a track, a car traveling on the track and provided with electronictive means, a traveling connection for operation thereof by current supplied from the supply Wire, in combination with a signal system comprising main Wire sections flanking the trolley Wire, signals connected to the main Wire sections, the aforesaid traveling connection on the car making a flanking traveling connection With the main Wire sec- 10 tions for energization of the signals.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 24th clay of November 1908.

WALTER J. BELL.

In presence of G. F. HAOKLEY, FRANK L. A. GRAHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

